Metallic cushion-tie.



No. 861,384. PATENTED JULY 30, 1907..

s. a; A. MoOAHON. METALLIC CUSHION TIE.

1 APPLICATION IILED D110. 15, 1906.

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STEWART McCAHON AND ALEXANDER MoOAHON, OF ST. JOSEPH, MISSOURI.

METALLIC CUSHION-TIE Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 30, 1907.

Application filed December 15,1906. Serial No. 347,955.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, STEWART McGAHoN and ALEXANDER McCAHoN, citizens of the United States, residing at St. Joseph, in the county of Buchanan and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Metallic Cushion-Tics; and we do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

The object of our device is to provide a tie that by reason of its strength and capacity to withstand washouts, will secure safety; that by reason of its spring like supports for the rails, will increase the comfort of travelers; and that by reason of its great durability will obviate the frequent re-placing of ties, as now required, thereby economizing in labor and expense.

We accomplish our object by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of a metallic column, broken away, a rail and a supporting cushion spring for said rail; Fig. 2 is a cross section of the same with a tie, broken away; Fig. 3 is a plan view of the same; Fig.

4 is a perspective of the cushion spring and its lugs, and Fig. 5 is a detail of a hand plate, slightly open, in a metallic column, and its slides.

Similar letters refer to similar parts in the several views.

A is a truncated cone shape column of steel, iron or any suitable material. It is cast of any height and diameter desirable for the road bed in which used. It

bears outward from the top to the base: if the diameter is six inches at the top, it would preferably be about 24 inches at the base: its base is provided with a flange A to secure the greater firmness, and its top with a flange A In setting a column in a road bed, an excavation of the size of the base is first made. The column is then placed in position in the excavation and filled with dirt, as is also the excavation outside the column, and the earth both inside and outside is thoroughly tamped. B is a cushion spring, which, after the earth has been tamped, as hereinbefore mentioned, is placed across the center of the top of the column and secured to flange A of the column by means of bolts 11 b. This spring is preferably cast of tempered steel; its ends are turned downward and fit around the edge of flange A bearing thence a short distance downwardly at an an- .gle corresponding with the column. They are turned vertically upward to a line slightly above the horizon tal of the body of the spring, the two ends thus forming spring loops B B. The ends of these loops are flanged inward on a horizontal line and constitute flat rail supports C O. D is an ordinary rail. d (l are lugs cast as a part of said rail supports C C at opposite sides, as shown in Fig. 4; they are adapted to clamp the bottom flanges d d of each rail to rail supports 0 0. Each rail support G on the side opposite lug d is held rigidly underneath the rail by means of bolts 6 e. The opposite columns on a road bed are connected by means of ties H H. These ties are of cast iron or steel, or any suitable material, and are provided with flanges h h at each end, through which they are rigidly held to the column by bolts. K K are slides on the outside of a column adapted to receive sliding hand plate L in case it is desired to insert additional dirt or tamp dirt from the side instead of the top of the column. Z is a knob by which to manipulate said hand plate. To support the outer rails at curves we provide a rail brace .T, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2, fastening the lower end thereof to the head of the column. Preferably we galvanize the several parts of the device, including the inside of the column. By reference to Fig. 4 it will be seen that cushion spring B is spread at its center being thus adapted to entirely cover the column when placed thereon and to exclude water or snow. Hence the dirt that has been tamped in the column will remain absolutely dry and free from dampness, cannot be affected by frosts, and will constitute a solid pier held in place by the column. I

What we claim and desire to obtain by Letters Patent is,

1. In a metallic cushion tie the combination with a rail way rail, of a metal column adapted to be set in an excavation within a road bed, the flanges at the top and base thereof, a cushion spring supported by said column and bolted to the top flange thereof, the loop ends of said spring, the horizontal rail supporters and the lugs thereon adapted to clamp the bottom flanges of said rail to said supporters, the bolt opposite each lug to assist in clamping the rail and supporter together, a metal tie adapted to be rigidly fastened to the sides of opposite columns, a hand plate and slides in the side of the column, and a brace rigidly attached to the flanged head oftche column for use at curves, substantially as set forth and shown.

2. In a railway tie a truncated cone shape column bearing outwardly from top to base, a flanged footing at the base and a supporting flange at the top, said column being adapted to inclose a tamped pier of earth, substantially as described and shown.

3. In a railway tie, a column bearing outwardly from top to base, a flanged footing at the base and a supporting flange at the top, a metal tie rigidly attached to the side of the column, and a cushion spring adapted to serve as a cover for said column and support a rail, substantially as 10 set forth and shown.

4. The combination with a' supporting column, of a cushion spring serving as a cover for the column, the loops thereof and the lugs upon opposite sides of said ends adapted to clamp a rail, substantially as described and shown.

In testimony whereof, we atfix our signatures, in presence of two witnesses.

STEWART MCCAHON. ALEXANDER MCCAHON. Witnesses v G. W. LEFTWICH, Jr., J. E. .TonNsoN. 

